


Knocked Out

by Zygella



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Hopefully will get finished, OC Gemsona with a backstory that'll never be true, Originally from FF.net, This is gonna get disturbing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-03-18
Packaged: 2018-05-27 08:48:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6277726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zygella/pseuds/Zygella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three years. They missed three years of Steven's life. And he blames them for every second wasted. They may be back, but their Steven is gone. How could they apologize? How could they ever get along the same again? How could they stop Homeworld, and the terrible things they were about to let loose on dear planet Earth?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Poisoned

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so the first 3 chapters are probably going to be confusing. Here's the deal: This story was set on a different path once and then I decided to change it to something dark and disturbing. So if you get confused on the pacing, Sorry. Once again this is originally posted on Fanfiction.net on my account ZYGELLA. So please, if you've read this on fanfiction and freak out by seeing it here, IT IS NOT STOLEN. I promise you.
> 
> Anyways, please enjoy! -Zygella

It was a normal day in the life of the Crystal Gems; going on a mission to save innocent lives. However, this time the enemy was dangerous in a way the Gems hadn't suspected.

"LOOK OUT!" Pearl screeched at her teammates, as a barrage of sharp quills came hurdling at them.

"Yikes! Are you sure this is a good idea for me to be here?" Steven asked as he narrowly dodged the projectiles.

"I'm beginning to think it isn't!" Pearl replied, charging at the porcupine-like Gem monster they currently butted heads with.

"It's not like we can take Steven back now anyways!" Amethyst countered, trying to knock the monster off balance by hooking a leg with her weapon. "We're in the middle of something here!"

"Focus you two!" Garnet commanded, ducking and dodging as she attacked the beast. "The monster's quills are covered in some sort of serum; I don't know what it does and I rather not find out!"

The Gems continued to beat the monster up. As it seemed to be finished, it released almost all of its quills out in all directions, leaving nowhere to hide. Steven, as he was in immediate danger, pulled his shield out from his Gem. Unfortunately, there was no time for the Gems to find shelter behind the defense weapon with the boy.

Despite being covered in quills, Garnet landed one last punch, sending the monster back into its Gem. The fusion quickly bubbled it and sent it to the temple.

"Are you guys alright?! That looks really painful…" Steven commented as he met up with his injured friends.

"Something's wrong… whatever these quills were covered in is affecting my energy levels." Garnet stated in a calm voice, yet there were traces of fear in her eyes hidden behind her shades.

Steven glazed at his friends in turn, watching how the quills were affecting them. As they pulled them out, he noticed their actions getting sloppier, and their eyes becoming more and more droopy and unfocused.

"Whatever that stuff is, it must be some sort of magic tranquilizer! That's why you guys look so sleepy!" Steven exclaimed.

Pearl blinked a couple of times, trying to focus her gaze on the small boy. "You could be right… but this is bad, if we don't get back to the temple, we'll be stuck here unconscious for who knows how long!"

"Then we need to get going, right now! We can worry about your conditions later!"

Steven tugged his friends along the path back to the warp pad, worrying that they might not make it in time. They certainly weren't getting any better in their current situation; not to mention it was kind of funny how they were almost tripping over their own feet. He knew he shouldn't laugh, but they just looked so cute like this! The ruthless, strong Crystal Gems, barely able to walk, looking so sleepy. He thought ironically in his head.

Finally, they made it to the warp pad. He helped them on and warped them away. He continued to keep a close eye on them, in case they made a mistake. He didn't want them accidentally floating outside the stream somehow.

When they finally made it back to the temple, the Gems looked just about ready to pass out. Steven knew he had to act quick.

"Alright, you're probably not going to like this, but I don't think you have any other options but to just let the poison carry out. The only problem is I don't have enough beds for the three of you…" He trailed off when he noticed a strong glow coming from his Gem.

He turned around to notice his mother's door opening. He grinned.

"Perfect! I have everything in there! Come on guys, and don't fall asleep in the clouds!" He said, bounding inside, wishing for the comfiest, softest beds possible.

"Steven, are you-" Pearl started, only to be cut off by a yawn, "sure this is a good idea…?"

"Yes! Don't worry, I have everything covered! You guys take care of me all the time, why would it be so bad for me to repay you guys?" He asked innocently.

The Gems smiled sleepily but warmly at the boy. They let him guide them each to their own beds and help them in.

"Now, don't worry about anything, honestly. I have everything under control, so just focus on getting rid of the poison!"

He didn't worry when his friends didn't respond; he assumed them to be asleep by now. He carefully watched them for a bit, tending to everything. He even removed Garnet's shades. He didn't want them making anything uncomfortable for her.

After awhile, he got hungry, and tired himself. So, trusting that the room was safe, he left them in there. But not before telling the room to keep everything already made.

Little did the boy know, that was the last time he would see them awake in long time.


	2. Steven Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time passes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I had to change one thing in here from my version on FF.net: at the time of this chapter I assumed Steven and Connie were both 12. So I changed the age description for them.

**The day after...**

Steven woke up in his bed, holding the T.V. remote and hearing the static of some channel offline. Blinking a few times, he climbed out of bed, and got himself ready for the day. At some point in the middle of his busyness, he remembered where the Gems were.

"I wonder how they're doing... maybe they're awake!" He said cheerfully, going down the stairs and opening his mother's door.

Sadly, they were still under the effects of the poison. Steven pouted, but made sure to check carefully on how they were doing. They seemed peaceful, at least. It didn't help that they didn't breathe. He knew they couldn't die without their Gems being shattered, but breathing being a natural human thing, it always made him panic for a split second that they weren't.

He left the room, leaving his friends again. "Well... I'm sure they'll wake up sometime. I know they will."

**Three days later...**

Steven was out with Connie, telling her why the Gems were in their condition. It had been a few days, and the hybrid was beginning to worry.

"So you have no idea when they'll wake up?" Connie asked.

"Yeah... I'm starting to get worried... I don't know how long this is supposed to last, and they go on missions everyday. Without them, the Gem monsters are going to get out of control!" He exclaimed, leaning back on his fluffy friend Lion.

"I wish I could tell you it'll be okay, Steven... But I don't know how most of this Gem stuff works. You'll be okay on your own with Lion, right?"

He sighed. "I guess that's how it's going to have to be. I just hope not for long."

**One week later...**

Steven stared unmoving at the temple door. Eleven days. They still weren't awake. He gripped his shirt tightly, controlled by a mixture of emotions. Fear, anger, and panic stormed through his being every single second longer the Gems were still out of commission. Lion had taken him to a place, where he had to fight a Gem monster by himself. It was pretty hard, and dangerous, confirmed by the sprained arm he currently refused to even touch.

He didn't want it like this. He wanted his friends back. He didn't want to have to protect Earth by himself.

"Please... please wake up.." He whispered shakily, lowering his head as a sparkling tear budded in his eye.

**Two weeks later...**

"Connie, look out!" Steven called to his friend as the Gem monster charged at her.

"I got it!" She replied, jumping out of the way and slicing the monster with her sword.

Lion was in an attack stance, ready to help to two if the battle took a bad turn.

Two weeks after the first mission alone with Lion, Steven had asked Connie to help in them. She had said yes. They were keeping these missions a secret from her parents, since they were the opposite of safety. They were doing pretty well, they'd successfully defeated and bubbled four Gem monsters.

"Finish it, Steven!" Connie yelled.

Steven nodded, adjusting his shield's size to a giant mass, bringing down the shield on the monster. The impact poofed it instantly. He quickly bubbled it and sent it back to the temple. The two friends went to sit against Lion, resting themselves after the battle.

"Connie, I don't like this..." Steven mumbled sadly.

"I know, Steven. But it's the least we can do while the Gems are..." She didn't finish because of the look on Steven's face.

The pair stayed in silence after that.

**One year later...**

Steven never bothered hoping anymore. He felt abandoned, but he knew it was never their fault. It was that damn monster... if he ever made it into the burning room, he'd find that monster's Gem and smash it without a second thought. Connie was with him a lot; almost 24/7. She'd told her parents about Steven and the Gems, saying that they'd fallen into some sort of coma and that he was having a hard time dealing with it.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!" He screamed suddenly, startling his friend.

"Steven... I know you're upset..." Connie mumbled.

"I CAN'T KEEP DOING THIS ALONE! I WANT THEM BACK! I need them back..." He cried, tears falling down his face.

Connie stared at him with the most distressed face possible. She hated this, him being so upset. It hurt her.

"Steven..." Connie started.

"I'm lonely without them Connie... they were the only ones that could teach me how to be a Gem..." He lamented.

"Steven... you don't have to be lonely..." Connie whispered softly, placing a hand on his cheek and forcing him to look at her.

The boy looked silently as his friend leaned in for something they both wanted for a long time...

**Two years later...**

Steven was now seventeen and Connie was sixteen years of age. They'd constantly go on missions together, along with Lion, saving the Earth from left over Gem monsters. And they were dating in secret for almost a year now.

They'd told Greg, of course, but not Connie's parents. They didn't want to do so just yet, in case her parent didn't approve.

While they were out on another mission, Steven was rather silent as they followed Lion wherever he was leading the couple. Connie noticed, and wondered why. She started to fear something bad.

"Hey, Connie? I...I have something to ask you..." He said to his girlfriend nervously.

"Yes?" She replied slowly.

"Well... It's almost been a year and... we've always trusted each other over everything... I was just wondering that maybe, during these missions, instead of fighting as the two of us, we should fight as one of us..." The teenage hybrid said.

Connie stopped in shock. "You're... you're asking me to fuse?"

Steven felt his face burn as he scratched the back of his neck. "I know because we're teens now, other problems with it have come up but... I feel like it would be safer for us to be and fight as Stevonnie. They could wield a sword and my shield."

Connie smiled. "It's okay, Steven. Nothing about this could break the bond we have."

He smiled, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for not freaking out. Should we...?"

Connie nodded, taking his hands to dance.

"That was great! It went really well! Maybe we should be like this for every mission!" Stevonnie said aloud, riding on Lion as they held a bubble with a Gem in it.

"I just wish the Gems were here to see how well we're doing... It's been three years since they fell into their comas... I miss them..." Stevonnie replied to themself with a sigh.

"Don't worry, Steven. You're not alone anymore, you never really were. Sometimes you just have to except the events of life, bad ones and good ones."

"Can we stay fused, just for a little longer? I don't want to be by myself just yet..."

"Of course, Steven. I'll always be here for you... and I don't want to either." Stevonnie chuckled.

"You're so cute, you are."

The single being rode home on the pink pet, loving silently. But the never ending question pulsed in the back of their mind; would the Gems ever wake up?


	3. Returning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wake Up time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And hopefully this is the last confusing chapter... sigh... I'm uploading all 12 existing chapters in one go so I don't have to forget about where each is.

**Back at the Temple...**

Stevonnie sat with herself on the couch, Lion snoozing near the warp pad. The warp pad went unused for three years, since Lion was the one taking them on missions in the first place. Steven had always loved the sound of the warp pad; it had signaled the Gems were returning. Now he hated the sound, for the exact same reason.

Stevonnie's head lowered slightly, their hand slightly stroking a side of their stomach.

"I miss them so much." They said aloud.

"I know Steven."

"I don't think they'll ever wake up."

"You just have to hold on to your belief..."

"I HAVE!" They wailed, feeling their bond starting to waver. They would split apart if they didn't watch their balance. "I have, Connie! I've believed... for three years... and I just can't help feeling like they did this on purpose! That they chose to stay asleep instead of waking up and continuing in their life of protecting humanity! That they decided to just dump all of their responsibility on me... Like this is some sort of messed up test!"

With that final line, the normally stable fusion fell apart, Connie sitting on the couch and Steven on the floor, on his knees, looking like the broken kid he began to be three years ago.

"Steven... the Gems loved you, didn't they? Don't they still love you, even in this state?" Connie asked, trying to calm her boyfriend down.

"That's what I thought... maybe I was wrong... maybe I was wrong that they loved me, and that they only kept me around because of my mother's Gem! It's no secret Pearl gave me some of that bullshit in the past, I just thought Garnet and Amethyst were better than that!"

Connie was shocked. "Steven..." But he wasn't finished.

"I know they saw me as a waste of time, a distraction! I'm no where near as powerful as them, but I'm too powerful for normal humans! I'm an in between with no place to go! I'm just a mistake!" He screamed, slamming his fists down on the floor as hard as he could. The floorboards shook under him.

"Steven!" Connie shouted, trying to get his attention.

The teenager stopped, and turned to face his girlfriend. "Connie... look at me. I seem fine on the outside, but in here," he placed a hand on his chest, right where his heart lay, "I'm a royal mess. It feels like I'm being torn apart, like I'm a fusion of myself trying to be separate, but just can't quite get there..." He stopped, his hand falling back to his side. "I want to bubble them."

Connie started to panic with that last line. "Steven, no! I know you've given up, but I'm not giving up on you! The Gems are your family, your happiness! You can't talk about such harsh things like that about them. Just... leave them like that. It's better then being trapped in a bubble. You said a long time ago your friends never deserved fates like that; remember Lapis? You didn't want her bubbled! You don't want to bubble your family."

Steven pulled her close, looking deep into her eyes. "You're my family now. You're my happiness, Connie."

Connie felt her face burning. "Steven... Please, I'm begging you as your girlfriend, don't bubble the Gems."

Steven stared at her for a little while, before giving the tinniest nod of his head. "I can't say no to that face..." He whispered.

Connie shivered, with the close proximity of their bodies. Impulse took over, and they meet in the middle in a heated kiss.

Steven pushed them to the couch, him on the bottom and Connie on the top. He ran his arms along her lean sides and hips, enjoying the feel of her own messing around in his hair. They wrestled for dominance, fiery kisses every time they paused to breathe.

Nothing could ruin this moment.

**Meanwhile, in Rose's room...**

There was no movement in the infinite universe of clouds. Not even the clouds moved; the room was silent and perfect. Except for the three cloud beds the room had maintained for three years straight, holding the most precious beings on the planet.

And suddenly, there began movement...

From their slumber, the three Crystal Gems began to awake. They didn't know how long they'd been out, but they guessed a couple of days. Yawning and rubbing their eyes, they looked around and remembered where Steven had guided them.

"That...wasn't actually as bad as I thought it would be." Pearl admitted, sliding out of the bed, which promptly poofed back into clouds.

"See? Humans do have some fun things!" Amethyst exclaimed.

The two other beds poofed away, the room tired of holding them up after so long.

"Steven's not here..." Garnet stated the obvious.

"I'm sure he's okay! He's probably watching the weird cartoon show or something." Amethyst said, blowing it off.

Pearl pulled the Temple door out from the clouds. "Well, whether he's here or not, we should go and say hi. I don't know how long it's been, but I'm going to assume a couple of days at most. Let's go team!"

**************

"N-no..." Steven stammered, as both him and Connie stared at the activated Temple door.

"Oh my god..." Connie whispered, with shock and relief.

Steven began to shake; with something Connie didn't want to let loose. She had to distract him.

"Steven... I love you..." She whispered in his ear.

He started to calm down, his eyes fixed back on her. He captured her lips again, her hands on either side of his body to make it harder for him to get up.

And then the door opened. Out came the Gems, calling Steven's name.

"Steven! We're awake!" Pearl shouted cheerfully.

Steven broke the kiss, eyes set on the Gems again. He didn't look happy, not at all. He looked furious. Then the Gems' eyes fell on the couple of the couch, eyes bugging. "STEVEN? CONNIE?!"

"Connie, let me up." Steven stated firmly, his voice wavering with something akin to an unstoppable rage.

"No! You know you can't let this anger take control!" She replied stubbornly.

Steven let out a deep breath, pushing her off of him. He got up and stormed out the house door, down the steps and away from the commotion.

The Gems were stunned, turning to Connie. She sat on the couch, legs pulled to her chest, eyes closed.

"Connie...?" Pearl asked.

"It's been awhile, you three." Connie mumbled. "It's been three years. I'm sorry, but he's given up on you."


	4. Unstable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Face up to the girlfriend and the dad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an extremely edgy AU isn't it...

"Three...years?" Pearl stuttered, utterly stunned by Connie's words.

Connie kept her gaze to the floor, unable to look at the Gems who'd broken her boyfriend's heart.

"Three years. You've lost your Steven, and so have I. He's changed so much in these few years you wouldn't believe half of it."

"I... we had no idea the monster's toxin would keep us under for so long! Oh my god, he was alone for three years... he must feel like we just dumped him!" Pearl cried, horrified.

"That's exactly what he feels like. He feels this way because you three weren't careful enough! Now the Steven we all used to know is dead and gone, and someone else has taken his place!" Connie shouted, getting angry.

"Connie, please-" Garnet began.

Connie finally lifted her head to look at them, and the burning rage in her gaze was enough to shut them up.

"No! Don't you interrupt me when I'm right! You changed him into this, it's all of your faults! And even though you may not love him like I thought you did, he's my boyfriend and I love him no matter what!"

"What?! We love Steven!" Pearl interrupted.

Connie stood up, stalking towards Pearl and backing her into the wall.

"Oh really? Explain the times where you were so caught up in your lust and longing for Rose that you didn't care about Steven? What about that time he was falling, and you just sat there on your ass! He could've DIED and you didn't even try to stop it!" She screamed.

Pearl was stunned into silence. As this happened, Connie turned on the two others.

"Don't think you're in the clear either! I still remember that time long ago with that puppet master monster! Even if it wasn't you in control if was still YOUR FISTS or YOUR WEAPON causing him pain! We saved your asses where you couldn't! And still there were times you'd just brush Steven aside like he was an idiot little kid!"

Connie stopped finally, catching her breath as the Gems processed her words. An unsettling silence fell in the house, and Connie was beginning to realize what she had just done. She'd just yelled at three strong as hell aliens that could crush her in a second if they really wanted to.

"You're right." Garnet spoke finally. "You're absolutely right, Connie. We should be ashamed for our past actions. While it may not be directly connected to the comas we were in, the ripple effects of those events are some of the reasons Steven's changed."

There was silence again; an in between of what happened and what happens next. The four didn't know what to do; Connie knew that in the unstable state Steven had been in before he stormed out of the house would leave him unapproachable for a couple of hours. The Gems didn't know where to fit in with anything anymore. They were stuck outside of the timeline.

"We should go see Greg. He may be able to help us." Connie decided finally, not waiting for their opinion.

***************

Greg had not expected so much company. Just like Steven Connie had to calm him down from an anger wave.

"You three have no idea the hurt you've caused my son!" Greg shouted.

"Trust me, we do... Connie's already ripped into us we don't need it from you as well." Pearl mumbled.

"You watch your mouth or I might cause you a need for regeneration!" He hissed.

"Greg!" Connie snapped. "I've already given them hell. Calm down. What we need now is to calmly discuss how to deal with Steven."

"Where has my son gone?" Greg asked, taking a deep breath.

"We don't know... He stormed off right when we came out of the temple. We can search the City, but he may not be so keen to see us." Pearl sighed.

Greg was silent, watching the three for a moment. As much as he wanted to blame them for everything, being knocked out for so long wasn't something they would've purposely let happen.

"He stormed off? Oh, unfortunately he's done that before a couple of times, I know how to handle this. We can either wait here until he comes crying or we can find him and risk a possible rage outbreak."

The Gems were shocked. "He's that unstable...?"

"Yes." Greg turned to Connie. "I think there's only one way to bring him here and control him somewhat. You need to give you know who a call."

Connie gave a single nod, and began to search for Steven.

"Who is she going to call?" Pearl asked.

"Stevonnie." Garnet said suddenly.

They all looked at her in shock.

"I used my future vision. I just... wanted to see how this could go. But I can't see past the point where Stevonnie returns here."

The Gems were scared now. If Garnet couldn't see past something... they could only imagine the possibilities.

*******************

Connie walked the calm streets of Beach City, looking for her boyfriend.

"Just remember Connie, he's suffering from abandonment. His family suddenly comes back after three years and he doesn't know how to handle it."

She managed to spot him on the beach, and she immediately ran to him. He was hunched over, silently crying.

"Steven..." Connie whispered sadly, hands on his shoulders.

He took a shaky breath, looking at her with bloodshot eyes. "Connie, I'm so torn. I...I'm glad they're back, but I'm still really mad at them. I don't know if they'll ever have the same relationship with them again."

Connie pulled him into a tight hug, burying her face in his shoulder. "They want to see you."

Steven shuddered. "I... I don't think I can do it."

"You don't have to do it alone..." Connie said soothingly, stroking his back.

Steven went silent.

And then, like the sunlight peeking over the horizon, a faint pink light began to glow.


	5. The Storm Begins To Form

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, finally it starts getting interesting... Hopefully you enjoy.

The Gems and Greg sat in a thick silence until they heard the ghost of footsteps scuffling against the concrete streets. They lifted their heads and found Stevonnie standing before them, the teenage fusion edgy and uncomfortable.

"Speak your words now, before I cannot bare to look at you anymore." Their voice was crisp with hostility, underlined with a heartbreaking sadness.

The Gems looked at each other. What could they say? Only god himself knew the total instability of the fusion. One wrong word could trigger the events they feared so highly.

"Stevonnie..." Garnet started, yet paused. For her to be at a loss of words only meant trouble. "Sorry doesn't begin to cover the three years we've missed." She continued with a monotone voice. "We can only imagine the worst of what you may think of us now, but we want you to know that we never wanted this to happen. If there is anything in particular you may have in mind as... punishment for us, we will carry out your wishes."

Stevonnie was silent, thinking, disassembling Garnet's carefully placed words. On one hand, they could lash out in her deepest anger, tell them to leave them alone and never come back after them, yet on the other hand... punishment was not the term they would use. Not for them, never for them. How could they? Deep down Steven still loved them, but it was clouded by his anger, his hurt, his loneliness. They would have to choose.

"Punishment is not my thing." Stevonnie chose finally, taking a deep breath. "This will not be easy. Don't think that because I've passed up the chance to take unnecessary revenge it means that everything's all better between you three and Steven. I've grown out of you. I did long ago, yet now here you are, trying to return to my life, like a weed re-invading my beautiful garden of roses. One slip up, and I'll notice you. And the weed killer will come out."

The Gems were surprised by their unique use of language. As kind-hearted as they may be to others, their emotional hurricane waited to strike them down one by one. Tricky was an understatement to their situation; their lives may very well depend on their actions.

"And, if we are going to do this," continued Stevonnie, motioning between them, "it means you are to experience the hard way. No future vision. No cheating sheets, no taking a friendly little peek at your future's test answers. I will have none of it." They ordered stiffly.

They nodded, words failing them in the moment.

Silence was beginning to settle in once more, before Lion arrived at the scene. Staring intently at Stevonnie, they understood and climbed upon the pink beast's back.

"Lion has a mission for me. Don't try to help me, I don't need it. I will be back whenever I feel like returning." Stevonnie announced, slowly pulling out Rose's sword from Lion's glowing mane.

Once again, the Gems nodded. They were terrified of messing up so early. Keeping quiet was their only safe path for the time being.

Lion reared back, then began to sprint off. They heard the sound of his portal opening, and there was silence yet again.

*******************

Stevonnie walked behind Lion as he led the way to the next Gem monster. They were silent, but inside their mind turmoil ruled.

'You don't use Stevonnie the same way anymore, Connie.'

'What do you mean?'

'You've been calling them too often to control me lately. Don't think I haven't noticed. Fusion isn't just some prison you can keep returning me to. You know very well the consequences to such use.'

Stevonnie shuddered, thinking of Malachite. It had been two years since they'd last seen her. They'd had an incident with her where half of Beach City had been destroyed. Lapis had run out of energy and had no choice but to let Jasper take over; She eventually regained control and dragged herself back into the ocean.

'Steven, I hate to use them like that. But you need to understand that you do... bad things when you're alone. You make negative choices, you get into all sorts of trouble you would've never thought about doing as a kid. I just want you back to normal.'

Stevonnie stopped, Steven in clear control. "Normal?! Is that what you think? That how I am now is just some shell cover and the kid me is still alive inside? No, Connie! I grew up this way, this is my normal!"

"Steven, I didn't-!"

"Let me go!"

Stevonnie forcefully ripped apart, Steven standing above his girlfriend on the ground. His eyes burned with hurt.

"Steven... I..."

"I don't want to hear it. Let's just get this mission over with." He snapped firmly, walking on ahead.

Connie lowered her head in defeat, picking herself up and trailing behind the hybrid. Lion suddenly stopped, and began to growl. Steven caught up with his animal companion and gasped.

"Her."

Connie, confused, ran to catch up with her teammates. She looked down to see what they were so surprised about. Her eyes widened.

"Peridot?!"

**Meanwhile, light years away...**

A tall, golden figure was walking down a perfectly lit hallway. Her head high, shoulders set, scowl plastered on her face, she turned a corner and entered a room. The double doors bore the words Gem Laboratory.

"You better have pleasing news, or your Gems will all be shattered." The figure spoke sharply.

The room went deathly silent, everyone too afraid to speak. Finally, a light grey Gem stepped forward. The Gem was of medium size with short black hair. Her suit was dark blue and grey, the colors bordering one another in stair-like patterns. Her core Gem rested on her left shoulder. Her face was permanently set in a frown, a deep scar running over closed left eye. A single sharp tooth peeked out from her closed mouth.

"You will be delighted to hear that we have succeeded. The finalized project with hatch in two days, maximum." She said.

The figure gave a small, sinister smile. "Very good. Your eye has helped this project along profoundly. Your final task will be to bring the project to Earth and start it working. Then you will be free to roam as you wish once more, Galena."

Galena dipped her head respectfully. "Thank you, Yellow Diamond."


	6. The Sky Begins To Blacken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peridot in a field with the sun beating down making it feel like hell on Earth. What could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it starts to get a bit disturbing. There are some things that might make you squirm in your seat. Whoops.

"Peridot... I thought we told her to poof herself and never reform." Steven growled angrily. He summoned his shield, and Lion's eyes began to glow. Connie pulled out Rose's sword. "HEY! PERIDOT!"

Peridot looked up from whatever she had been doing and gasped. She turned around and began to run in the opposite direction.

"Coward..." Steven breathed, mounting Lion and riding after her.

Connie rolled her eyes, jumping down the small hill and keeping a fast pace as Steven rode ahead. She knew the drill; cover two sides, he covers the other two. She just wished she could get the front for once. She continued on her pace, when something unusual caught her eye. It looked like a sort of pod; like a spaceship sort of thing. Abandoning the chase, she crept over to the object.

It was just that; a pod. The thing the worried her was that it was open and empty. Something had come inside it and was now loose.

"I better tell Steven..." She mumbled.

But before she could even turn around, an arm wrapped around her mouth, and she was suddenly slammed to the ground by an unknown enemy. She tried to scream, but it was muffled by the attacker's hand.

"Hey now, don't cry little human..." A smooth female voice whispered. "I won't hurt you... I just need to give you a little something before you go on your merry way."

Connie couldn't get a good look at her attacker; the sun beat down right on top of her. The shadows hid her features effectively. What she did manage to see was a large slashed scar across her left eye.

"Here we are... say hello to your new little friend." The woman said softly, opening her hand to reveal a little worm-like creature. It was tiny, bore two long antennae and several shorter tentacles where its legs should've been.

The woman forced Connie's mouth open with her other and, and the creature slowly crawled into Connie's mouth, making its way down her throat and into her system. She screamed against the invader, but soon she couldn't feel it anymore. The shock and fear of the event began to shut her system down.

"Just one more thing to do to you before I let you go... You can't remember any of this happening."

Then it all went black.

********************

"Peridot, just stop running! You have nowhere to go!" Steven roared, willing Lion to run faster.

"I'll run if it means a second longer of life without you shattering my Gem!" Peridot snapped back.

Steven rolled his eyes. He let out a whoop and Lion let out a roar portal. They jumped through and cut Peridot off. She stopped dead in her tracks, turning to flee the other way. Lion pounced onto the green Gem, pinning her down easily.

"Hey! Get your pink freak of nature off me!" She howled in anger.

"End of the line. You stirred Lion, therefore you must be bubbled. No more chances." Steven rumbled as he dismounted Lion.

"WAIT! Wait! You can't bubble me yet! I'm the only one who knows about Homeworld's plans!" She shrieked.

Steven stopped. "Plans?"

"Yes, plans, you pebble! Bubble me and you'll never know!" She hissed.

He sighed, staring intently at her. "Talk. Or I'll shatter you instead."

She flinched. "Alright! You're no better than Yellow Diamond..." She whispered. "I had a mission, you know. Three years ago I came here to carry out that mission. But then you and your Crystal Clods destroyed my ship! So I've been stuck here... I've been doing you and your kind a favor; I've spent the last two years researching and deploying ways to halt The Cluster!"

"The Cluster? What's that?" Steven asked.

"The Cluster is my mission. You've seen the Gem Mutants from the Kindergarten by now. The Cluster is one giant mass of millions of Gem shards. Artificial fusion. It rests in the Earth's core, and will destroy your planet if it hatches. Yellow Diamond always hated the humans, and she wants them dead. The Cluster would do that. But that's just the thing: I've been halting it. Yellow Diamond left no openings. She had a second weapon devised if the first one was to fail. All I can do is guess, but she's most likely started that second weapon by now."

"Then tell me of this other weapon." Steven grumbled, crossing his arms.

Peridot shifted under Lion nervously. Steven's eyes narrowed.

"Tell me, Peridot. I won't hesitate to shatter you; I've gotten so much information for you already. I don't need the rest, but it would be pleasant for the both of us if you just told me."

"I... don't know for sure. I had only heard an overview of the project's goal back then; it was to be designed as small but destructive. A doomsday weapon for your species. Everyone you care about, everyone you love would be taken away in the blink of an eye." She said slowly.

Steven's eyes widened. He backed up a couple paces, bringing a hand up to his forehead. Overwhelmed by this devastating information, he lay himself to sit on the grass.

"You... you have been helpful to me. Very much." Steven sighed. "I don't have the heart to continue on with my mission. I will allow you to live, BUT..." He paused. "You will have to give me your arm enhancers. I don't want you causing issues. Unless you need them to keep stopping The Cluster. Don't lie to me."

She looked down, groaning. "No, I don't need them... I set up an automatic system in the Kindergarten. I'll get an alert if the system starts to act up."

Steven stared a little longer before flicking his head at Lion. Lion let Peridot up and she stood, brushing herself off with a huff. She reluctantly took of her arm enhancers and handed them to Steven.

"Be careful with those. I want them back later."

"I'll think about it when we stop this other weapon. I rather keep the ones I love."

Peridot raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of such, where is your human friend Connie?"

Steven stopped in his tracks. He whirled around and gave a yelp to see she was nowhere in sight.

"CONNIE!"

*******************

Connie began to awake. She sat up, blinking her eyes against the harsh sun. She was lying on the grass, with no memory of how she ended up like this.

"That was a nasty little bit of heat stroke, wasn't it?"

Connie jumped at the voice. She turned to see a woman sitting on top of a grey tech-pod. "Who are you?!"

The woman smiled, a noticeable sharp tooth sticking out from the rest. "Just a friend! That was a bad tumble you took. Don't you remember? You were running pretty fast... along with the heat from the sun, in this arid field... not a combo you'd want."

"Is that what happened? Huh... I do have a bit of a headache, maybe I'm not better yet."

"Odd. You're lucky I had the technology to eradicate your state. I was watching you chase that Peridot earlier, so I assume you know what I am."

Connie then noticed the shining, light grey Gem laying upon the woman's left shoulder. "You're a Gem?"

She nodded. "Name's Galena. I'm a rogue Gem; no Homeworld for me. I came here for a visit. I haven't been to Earth in three hundred years. You don't have to worry about me. Humans fascinate me."

Connie's attention caught on Galena's scar. "How'd you get that?" She pointed to it.

Galena faltered, breaking the eye contact. "I... rather not talk about that. If I get too much into it, I'll end up opening my left eye, and then you'd be in trouble."

"Where's Steven?"

As if on cue, a Lion portal opened beside them, and Lion come out. Connie was surprised to see Peridot riding with Steven.

"What're you two doing?"

"Peridot is valuable. She's given me ample amounts of information we needed to know. I don't find it fair to bubble or shatter her after such payment." Steven said.

Peridot nervously waved, her small arms and tiny fingers catching Connie off guard.

"You took her arm enhancers?"

"I don't want her doing something rash. It is fair."

Peridot was glaring at Galena, while Galena was giving her a smug smile.

"Um... mind telling me who this is?" Steven asked, referring to Galena.

"Oh, how uncivil of me. I am Galena. I saved your friend over here, poor thing. She passed out from heat stroke. You were walking out here for awhile, after all. Lucky for you, I have technology that cured her. Now that I'm on the topic, you should've been feeling the same effects. What makes you so special?'

Steven raised an eyebrow ans lifted his shirt to reveal his Gem. Galena's jaw dropped.

"You're a Gem too? But... you look human...you're a hybrid?" She made a face. "I don't even want to know how that works."

Steven dismounted Lion, walking up to Connie and giving her a hug. "Are you alright now?"

She leaned into him, nodding. "I still have a bit of a headache, but I think I'm okay."

Peridot spoke up. "If she is still not one-hundred percent better, you should take her back to your house."

"Yeah, that's smart. You're both welcome to come with us."

Peridot shook her head, jumping off of Lion. "We'll catch up with you. I have to talk to Galena here."

Steven looked at her, confused. Either way, he mounted Lion once more. Connie joined him and they disappeared through another one of Lion's portals. When they were gone, Peridot turned on Galena.

"Galena of the Rogueworld Gems, what are you doing on Earth? Don't give me your just visiting lies. I know that's not your reason."

Galena clicked her tongue. "Oh Peridot, that's not the way you treat your superior. Yellow Diamond assigned me to this, you know. She never realized you were still alive. But now that I know you are, that means you still work for her. You're giving the enemy information? Pathetic."

Peridot hissed angrily at the grey Gem. "You're one to talk! Since when do the Rogueworld members work with Homeworld, their leader no less?"

Galena looked down. "I may have landed on a planet... and gotten captured. Apparently I had a bounty on me; something to o about my corrupt eye. Yellow Diamond said she needed it for a project. You know very well which one."

Peridot gasped. "The Neural Worm? How did your eye have any help to developing that?"

"You know very well why my eye is corrupt in the first place. That damn virus. Yellow Diamond wanted it to be studied; I'm the only Gem with a virus. Diseases like that are reserved for animals and those stupid Homo-sapiens... yet I have one. By studying my... defect, they made sure the worm couldn't infect Gems. Just the organic life of this planet."

"And you went along without a fight?"

Galena snorted. "You know how Yellow Diamond is like! Show one sign of betrayal and your Gem is pulverized. I don't plan on passing into star stuff anytime soon. But I'm almost done with my service to her. All I have to do is make sure patient zero survives long enough for the Neural Worm to reproduce and begin infecting every human and animal on the planet. Then she'd allow me to return to my team, no questions asked. The only problem..." She trailed off.

Peridot's mouth fell agape. Then she started laughing. "No way! You broke your pod? You can't leave! You're stuck down here like me!"

Galena huffed, blush tinting her cheeks faintly. "You don't have the right to laugh! You realize I could've taken you with me, I could've brought you back to Homeworld!"

Peridot gave a sarcastic laugh. "As if I'd survive a minute back there! I've been fighting against Yellow Diamond's wishes for two years! I've stopped The Cluster from emerging, not to mention failed every single mission on Earth! I might as well stay here with Steven and his girlfriend. It's not like there's any difference between him and Yellow Diamond. They're always threatening to shatter me."

"Why would you stop The Cluster from emerging?" Galena asked. "You hate this planet."

"Yeah, I do, but currently I'm an inhabitant on it without any way to escape!" She exclaimed.

"Oh. Right. Well, now that I'm stuck as well, I guess it's good that you've stopped it. I may be able to repair the pod in time... but definitely not soon."

Peridot sighed, arms hanging loosely after her vent. "We can just pretend to be nice until you fix the pod. Then we can leave the humans to die at the hands of the Neural Worm."

Galena nodded. "Agreed. I don't know where you'd want to go out in space, however."

"I'll figure it out." She said, "just one more thing: you've already started the Neural Worm, yes? Who's patient zero?"

Galena cracked a sick grin. "The hybrid's girlfriend. Miss Connie."


	7. Stories and Conflicts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More disturbing events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there's going to be at least one person upset with another OC Gemsona. Sorry. I needed a villain that wasn't Jasper or Yellow Diamond.

Lion, Connie and Steven popped out of the portal, ending up in front of the Maheswaran house. Connie smiled.

"Thanks for taking me home, Steven." She said softly.

He smiled warmly. "Anything for you, Connie. Come on, let's get you inside."

They slid off of Lion's back and unlocked the door. Connie's mom was sitting on the couch when they entered.

"Hey mom. How was your day?" Connie asked politely.

"Excellent. Medical institutions worldwide have had breakthroughs in disease cures! You might be saying viral goodbye to bacterial and viral infections in a few years, tops!"

"Speaking of medical things, Connie has a headache. I brought her back so she can rest." Steven said.

Mrs. Maheswaran gave him a small smile. "Thank you for treating my daughter so nicely. The world needs more men like you."

Steven scratched the back of his neck, laughing shortly. "No problem. I better get back home myself; I'll be having guests over soon. I have to..." He faltered. "I have to tell the Gems not to be alarmed."

"Your guardians are finally awake?" Mrs. Maheswaran asked with surprise. "That's great news!"

Steven looked down at the floor. "Yeah... great news." He mumbled. "I better go. See you tomorrow, Connie."

As Steven left the Maheswaran house, Connie's mother turned to her with a confused look on her face.

"Why would he seem so upset that they've woken up? I thought that was what he wanted."

Connie sighed. "Mom, you should know about this. It's been three whole years since they... interacted with him. He was going through abandonment issues, and then they suddenly come back as if nothing ever happened. He's having trouble coping with them just coming back all of a sudden. We had a good daily routine without then, and he got used to it. It's expected for him to have trouble, right?"

Mrs. Maheswaran nodded with a sigh. "I suppose so."

Connie frowned sadly, staring at the door where Steven had left. The headache took a sudden sharp turn, and she hissed. "I'm going to my room to rest. I'll see you later, mom."

*******************************

Galena kicked her broken pod in a huff. "Damn thing." She turned to Peridot. "So where's this Steven's house?"

Peridot blinked. "A long way from here. It may take a bit to walk there."

Galena laughed. "Walk? Do you know nothing of my abilities? I don't walk. I run."

The grey gem sped off in a blur, speeding around Peridot tauntingly. Peridot made an annoyed face. "Would you stop that?"

Galena skidded to a halt, a grin on her face. "Sorry, it's too fun. Everything about me ties into what the humans call a ninja; my weapon, my skills, and that constant trick up my sleeve. Must be annoyed to have to travel so slowly and out in the open. My Super Speed and Silent Step abilities are pretty much the best escape methods."

Peridot groaned. "Would've been nice to escape from Steven just now."

Galena snickered. "Jealous, are you?"

Peridot face-palmed with annoyance. "Let's just go to Steven's house. It's best for him to trust us until you can fix this dumb pod."

Galena nodded. "Well, get up on my shoulders. I'm not such a bitch, I won't run off without you."

Peridot did as she was told with reluctance, and the two sped off away from the arid field.

*************************

Steven climbed up the stairs to his house slowly, expecting to be alone. As he opened the door, he found the Gems sitting on his couch in dead silence. He stopped, staring at them. They stared back, fear flooding their eyes.

He sighed. "I'm going to be having a couple of guests over any minute. I request that you don't attack them."

"Why would we attack them?" Pearl asked, her fake laugh grating on Steven's nerves.

"You'll find out why soon enough." He grumbled, going up to his room.

The Gems looked at each other, worried.

"He's too annoyed to even talk to us... are we just an annoyance to him now?" Pearl asked, bottom lip quivering.

"Doesn't he realize that we never wanted this to happen? It was that monster's fault this whole time!" Amethyst asked.

"But it was our fault for not being careful enough. If we'd been more alert to the threat, we could've avoided this entire future." Garnet sighed.

"You... you saw this! You saw this future, didn't you! And you didn't bother to tell us! Why would you do such a thing!" Pearl shouted, ejecting herself from the couch and away from the fusion.

"I didn't... I didn't realize this would be the future we took! It was a one out of a million chance!" Garnet said, getting defensive.

"You should've taken precautions anyways! You could've stopped all of this from happening! THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" Pearl screamed at the leader.

Silence filled the room. Amethyst's mouth hung open, staring at her two teammates. Pearl huffed, tears stinging at her eyes. She speed-walked away into her room, the door closing rather violently.

Garnet was silent, before she stood and left the house without a single word.

"Great... I'm losing everyone else too." Amethyst lamented, lying down on the couch with a long sigh.

Two figures entered through the door, a sudden wind blowing in as well. "Ooooh Stevie-boy! Guess who's come over for you."

Amethyst made a face. Stevie-boy? Who the hell was that crazy person? She looked at the door and gasped. "Peridot?! And who're you?" She hissed, hand on instinct going to summon her weapon.

"What?! Steven never told me you three were awake!" Peridot exclaimed, then gave a smug grin. "How does it feel, huh? The tables have turned! I'm on Steven's good side and you're teetering on the edge. Oh, this is too good."

Amethyst pulled out her weapon and swung it, trying to tie up the two newcomers. Before it reached them, a hand firmly grasped the whip and stopped it.

"Do you three ever listen? I said I was having guests over, and I told you not to attack them. Do you mind?" Steven snapped coldly at the purple gem, letting the whip drop to the floor.

Amethyst dismissed her weapon, slowly retreating into her room like a scolded puppy.

Steven sighed, a hint of anger under it. "Sorry about that. They're really getting on my nerves... My relationship with them isn't good either way."

"Not a problem! I never knew they existed anyways." Galena said sweetly, rudely dropping Peridot off her shoulders. "Nice place you got here! Was this place built before you got it or...?"

"No. The Gems built it for me when I was born. We had a better relationship back then."

"Well! That's nice... I suppose." Galena said, throwing herself on the couch. "As a warning, I may have broken my pod, so I'm stuck here until I can get it fixed. Do you have a workshop or anywhere I could work on it? Earth's a nice place, but my team will leave without me if I stay too long."

Steven raised an eyebrow. "Nice group of friends you got there."

"Oh? No, that's just the general procedure I set up. As the leader of my team, I had to set certain rules. In which the first rule is if I do not return after a certain amount of time, something bad has happened and they're allowed to hightail it away."

Steven sighed, sitting down next to the grey gem. "I wish I could work with my team as well as you do with yours. It's just so hard for me to get back in a rhythm with them after they missed three years of my life! And I know it wasn't their plans to be put in comas, but I still feel like they abandoned me on purpose. I have a lot of issues now and I just blame those three for them."

Galena frowned. "Hey. It's not wrong to blame people for things. I mean, look at me. My eye, my personality... everything about me today has Homeworld to blame. Homeworld, Yellow Diamond, and the war for this planet. I was shamefully involved in that..."

"Don't forget about what she's done to me! I never wanted to come here, I never wanted to do work for her, or anyone for that matter. I don't think anyone on Homeworld is happy." Peridot mumbled.

Steven perked. "You fought in the Gem war, Galena? What side...?"

Galena hissed. "My side. Unfortunately. I attacked whoever I wanted. Gems like me with deadly ability combos were mass produced by Homeworld, but I didn't feel like fighting for anyone but myself. I started growing way before the war started, however. I was to be an elite type of guard. I shattered so many innocent Gems... wrongfully. I'm overpowered to most Gems. My abilities of super speed and artificial invisibility never let them see me coming. But there was one Gem I fought that managed to avoid my one-hit KOs. I think her name was Starlite, I can't really remember. But that's a different story."

Steven yawned. "Well, I don't have anything else to do today. I'm going up to my room and play some Call Of Duty. You two can have some girl-to-girl talk down here; I don't care. Just don't eat any of my Cookie Cats. I have to make those myself."

Peridot and Galena nodded, watching him go upstairs to his room. Peridot leaned in to whisper to Galena.

"You know, I never figured out what happened to your eye. Why do you always keep it closed? Even if you can't get rid of the scar, your eye is still there. So why keep it shut?"

Galena took a breath, ready to explain a long story. "Okay. I suppose I should tell someone. Awhile back, I landed on a Gem controlled planet. The Gems there didn't really like me, so I was attacked. The only problem is, they had certain weapons Homeworld banned long ago. Gemmade weapons, with shattered corrupted Gem shards stuck on everywhere. I was cocky. I didn't use my abilities to the fullest, and I was slashed across my eye with the weapon. Somehow, corrupt Gem DNA entered through my left eye and implanted into my Gem. It doesn't spread, but it has turned my eye completely corrupt. It may be still there, but it's lost. It's in its corrupted form, but it still works. I don't like letting others see it. It's a constant reminder that I'm defected."

Peridot narrowed her eyes. "That's not everything, is it."

Galena looked worried for a moment, then burst out laughing. "You're smarter than I thought! No, that's not everything about my eye. What I've withdrawn from saying is something I'd like to keep to myself. But I'm sure you'll end up seeing it... in time."

Peridot tilted her head. "What? Your eye?"

Galena chuckled. "No. The thing I'm concealing by keeping my eye shut. I'm doing everyone a huge favor here, and you don't even realize."

Peridot sighed. "Thanks for the really interesting answer."

"You're welcome!"

****************************

Connie rubbed her head angrily. The headache just seemed to be getting worse other time! What was going on?!

'You have nothing to worry about, my dear. Don't you remember? I'm your new little friend.'

Connie shot straight up. That voice... it was like she'd heard it somewhere before. Only it was way more high pitched.

'Oh Connie... poor little Connie. You must be wondering why life decided to choose you as patient zero. It's okay, I will save you. I will save everyone. I'll infect the entire human race, maybe all organic life on the planet. One by one i'll take control of your minds. And you can't get rid of me. No one can rid of me... well, that's a lie. One person can stop me. But you don't remember who... how bad did she treat you?'

"I have to tell Steven!" Connie said, alarmed. She reached for her phone, but suddenly her arm stopped. "What?! I can't move!"

'I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that. You'll ruin everything. Yellow diamond will be coming to Earth in a few days, maybe a week. Which means I must spread to every life form fast. Which brings me to my next action. So sorry about this, Connie. I really am. But... there's only one way for me to properly spread. Don't try to hold down your lunch.'

Connie shrieked, and dashed to the bathroom. Barely making it in time, she upchucked the entire contents of her stomach. She breathed in heavily, coughing as a little excess caught in her throat. She spit the rest into the toilet, then slumped with uncomfortably. "W...why...who..."

'I know you're confused... But you can't stop me from what I've been programmed to do. She controls me, I cannot be stopped. Your feeble medical technology cannot detect me unless she decides I need to be detected. I'm your superior. You will listen to me, and follow my rules, and you will be fine.'

"What... what're going to do to me...?" Connie whimpered.

'You will find out soon enough. But as long as I'm here, you cannot tell your boyfriend or those Crystal Gems about me. And you don't get a choice about that- I will stop you if you try. Got that? You, Connie Maheswaran, are under my control. I am the Neural Worm.'


	8. Positive Effort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie tries so hard, but does she succeed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eeeeeeverything just keeps getting more crazy, right?

'Connie, what are you doing? I'm not taking away your energy supplies, so why do you lie on your bed unmoving?'

"Trying to make my mom realize I'm sick with you without telling her! You can't stop me from doing nothing, can you? You're a parasite, but you don't understand human activities in the slightest. I can tell. You can't think of anything to make me do. If I go back to Steven's now, he'll know something is odd. I never come after hours. It's starting to get late. But the hospital is always open."

'Didn't you listen to me? I said I can't be detected by any of your feeble medical technology. Homeworld-'

"HOMEWORLD?" Connie exclaimed, jumping out of bed. "You're a Gem parasite?!"

'No... not exactly. Well, I was made by Gems, yes. But I'm not for them. I'm for you! What would the Gems of Homeworld need me for? You're so uneducated, it hurts sometimes.'

"I'm being told by a parasitic worm that I'm stupid... what happened that my life would come to this..."

'What? I'm stating fact. If you want to prove me wrong so badly, then go ahead. I doubt you will, however. I'm sitting atop your brain and can see everything anyways.'

Connie shivered. "Get down from there."

'I can't. It's where I have to stay. Would you want to still be alive when Yellow Diamond comes here? Probably not. She'll have an army with her, just to finish off any remaining humans and the Crystal Gems. My creator calls them the Crystal Crybabies in her head, so no one can hear her. I have a feeling she's going to be openly calling them that soon...'

"So... You're controlled by Yellow Diamond. That's the ruler of Homeworld, right? Who delivered you here, then?"

'You figure it out. If you're so smart, use this brain of yours. I'm not controlling you all the time. Your stupidity is not my doing.'

Connie hissed, pacing back and forth. What was she missing? It was right in front of her, she could feel it! But... something was stopping her. What?

'Oh... maybe your stupidity isn't entirely just you. I forgot she put a memory block on you. I can't remove it, only she can. I suspect it's been censoring some of my words as well. When I speak my creator's name, it makes it sound like I've been saying 'she', hasn't it?'

"Yeah. It has. You've been saying who made you this entire time? That doesn't seem like a good idea. If your creator had a plan as risky and dangerous as this, she would try to fit in, yes? Keep herself a secret?"

'Ah, finally. The girl starts to use this brain. Tell me more, patient zero.'

"A newcomer... someone with a reason to come here. Would've had to come in contact with a human to start, someone unsuspecting-"

Connie stopped dead. The memory block shattered, and the scene came flooding back to Connie.

"Hey now, don't cry little human..." A smooth female voice whispered. "I won't hurt you... I just need to give you a little something before you go on your merry way."

"Here we are... say hello to your new little friend."

"Just one more thing to do to you before I let you go... You can't remember any of this happening."

Connie couldn't get a good look at her attacker; the sun beat down right on top of her. The shadows hid her features effectively. What she did manage to see was a large slashed scar across her left eye.

"GALENA!" Connie roared. "Oh my god, she's with Steven! God knows what she'll do to him... he trusts her... and Peridot! Galena and Peridot were talking after Steven brought me home! She has to be in on this too! I have to tell... him..."

'You think I'll let you do that? I've already started stopping you. You're no match for me...! Hey! What're you?!'

Connie forcefully fought against the neural worm's control. "Just a tip about spreading a plague; don't make patient zero the daughter of a doctor! I've been taught in some medical dangers. It seems you follow the same path- you're weak! You're young, you've only been in my system a couple of hours. You haven't grown stronger than me just yet!"

And with that, Connie took off down the stairs and out the door. Steven was waiting.

**************************

Steven sighed, putting down his Xbox controller; his dad had gotten him a console for his birthday. He'd lost another Call of Duty round, again. He couldn't focus. He felt bad for being so cold to the Gems earlier. He could justify his anger on their sudden return, but that was over now. He was past it, and slowly he was coming to his senses. What purpose was there in staying mad at them forever? There wasn't one. It was time he stopped being such a jackass.

"Hey Steeeeeeeeeven! I think one of your friends are coming back!" Galena called from the lower floor. "She's a Gem, by the way. Not one of your human friends."

Must be Garnet. Steven thought. He'd secretly been watching the argument between Pearl and Garnet.

"That's alright." He sighed, rubbing his face. "It's about time I started making an effort myself... at least before I end up going to bed. It'll be ten PM in a couple of hours, and I can get easily distracted. Send her up here when she comes in."

"Okay. Is she going to attack us as well?" Galena asked loudly, for the purpose on getting on Peridot's nerves.

"Ah... I don't know. If she does I'll deal with it..."

Garnet came walking through the door, headed straight for the temple door. She didn't seem to notice anything in her surroundings.

"Hey! Anyone home in that big fused mess?" Galena asked, snapping Garnet out of the trance. She turned and looked at her, be remained silent.

"Who are you, if I may ask?" Her voice was on the shaky side.

"Steven's guests. Peridot here too. She's a guest. I'm assuming there's going to be a time where we all sit down and have a nice conversation of what happened in the past 3 years of your friend's life, but for now Steven wants to see you. So you should probably go up there and have some counseling or something. Don't fuck up!"

Garnet grumbled at Galena's offensive language, but she carried on. She carefully walked up the stairs, battling the urge to use her future vision. "Steven...?"

Steven looked up from the TV, pausing his game. "Hey Garnet. Uh... you doing better?"

She was taken aback on how calm the teenager was. She expected him mad, or even at the edge of getting mad. But he was completely stable, no traces of an outburst. She tentatively sat down next to him, but kept her respectful distance. To be nice. She wasn't scared of him or anything.

Steven tilted his head, waiting for her to answer. When she didn't, he sighed. He'd intimidated her into silence. "Look, um... I haven't exactly been fair... to you and the others. I said- well, Stevonnie said- that you'd have to make a strong effort with me. I haven't returned the favor, and it's hard to fix a relationship without both sides giving some effort. I'm... sorry. For being so harsh."

Garnet was still silent, but her head was slowly tilted to the floor. Steven frowned. "Hey." He took off her shades, and found her crying.

Garnet never cries. This isn't right. "Don't cry. Please, I don't need the guilt to stab at me anymore than it has."

She took a breath, blinking against the silent tears. "It's not you. It's what Pearl said. She's right, I should've done something about it. I should've said something. I failed to do so, and I don't deserve to be a guardian to you anymore."

Steven watched her wallow for a second, observing her actions. His eyes widened when he saw the tell-tale signs of instability. Without proper time to think, he leaned forward and gave the fusion a comforting hug.

"I know that body language. You're on the verge of unfusing, and I rather not have that happen on my watch. "

Garnet carefully returned the hug, and when he didn't show any signs of being uncomfortable, she returned it fully.

"Steven, I don't think I ever properly apologized to you for being a bad guardian." She started, but Steven pulled away slightly and glared.

"Don't you dare. You are not a bad guardian. Everyone makes mistakes, and this entire situation just happened to be one. While I haven't said it yet, I've decided to forgive all of you. So no more apologizing. Got it?"

"But-"

"No! We aren't arguing about this. My word is law in this situation, you hear me? No more apologizing."

Garnet sighed, but nodded. "Alright. No more apologizing."

Steven gave a small smile. "Good. Now just for Amethyst and Pearl..." He faltered, a frown settling back on his face. "I was rather rude to Amethyst earlier. Ugh, I was caught up in my own torrent of anger and hurt I didn't even give you guys a spare thought. It clouded one simple fact that I should've focused on instead... that you were back and you weren't gone forever. I missed you guys, I really did. And I got so mad because I had all these false thoughts in my head of why you three had fallen into your state. My actions are inexcusable."

"You've grown so much, Steven. It hurts me to remind myself I wasn't there to help you grow. But you're so much more than you were three years ago. I never even though you could become... this. You're more wise, stronger, you've learned." Garnet said, ruffling his hair softly.

"For better or for worse is what you should be asking. I've done some things over the past three years I've come to regret. Cruelty is a skill I've shamefully learned as well. Peridot knows this, as I've threatened to shatter her countless times. Mercy is slim in me."

Garnet smiled a little. "It's alright. No one grows perfectly. To be human is to be flawed, yes? To be who you are is to be flawed. No matter what race you may be."

"Uh, hey Steven? I hate to interrupt your therapy time but your girlfriend is coming!"

Steven's eyes widened in alarm. "She shouldn't be here during this time of day! She never comes after seven!" He rushed down the stairs and opened the door for her.

"Steven! Steven listen to me, the entire human race is in danger! I'm sorry I couldn't tell you sooner, it was stopping me, but I figured out a way! You need to do something!" Connie pleaded.

"Whoa whoa, wait! Slow down, I have no idea what you're talking about!" Steven said, grabbing her arms to try and calm her down.

Galena fell silent, her teasing smile wiped clean from her face. She looked at Peridot, and mouthed the words: You may want to step outside.

Peridot understood. She quietly waiting for an opening. The temple door opened, Pearl and Amethyst coming out, weapons summoned.

"What's going on?" Pearl asked.

"Yeah, we hear frantic shouting!" Amethyst said.

"You have to listen! There's a parasite, it calls itself the Neural Worm, and it's planning to infect everyone on the planet! It's going to kill everyone!"

'You know I have a name! It's Trevor! And it'd be nice if you shut up! You're putting everything at risk!'

"Okay, but how do you know this?" Steven asked calmly, trying to rid the air of panic.

"Because I was the first person it infected! Steven, this thing is terribly dangerous, it tried to stop me from telling you, but it's from Homeworld. Gems made this parasite! They want to kill every human!"

'Of for the love of- SHUT UP!'

Steven and the Gems gasped. "What?!"

"Oh my god. Peridot was right. This must've been the other weapon she warned me about! I should've been watching out for you Connie, I'm so sorry!" Steven said with dismay.

"Connie who did this to you? Who gave you this parasite?" Garnet asked.

Connie opened her mouth, but no words came out. She glared and stomped her foot angrily.

'Ha! Finally, you shut up! You may have ruined the element of surprise, but at least my creator is safe from your big stupid mouth! ...Hey! What're you?!'

Connie glared even more, her gaze focused on Galena. She shakily fought an unknown force that was trying to keep her arm down. She raised it fully and pointed a finger straight at Galena. Steven and the Gems turned to face her. She stood there, silent and unmoving for a second, then slumped with an annoyed groan.

"Great. I was really hoping you were too stupid to fight the worm, but I guess I underestimated you. Yes, I gave you that parasite. I'm the one Yellow Diamond sent to deliver it here, I'm the one who worked countless hours to create the disease." She flashed them a wide grin. "Surprise!"


	9. The Hurricane Hits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the hurricane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go >:P

Galena outstretched her arms, as if waiting for an attack. No one moved. She made a face and dropped her arms back to her sides. "Oh you people are boring! What're you even waiting for, huh? I'm guilty! What's the first thing you do to a guilty person? Maybe RESTRAIN THEM!"

Still, as she spoke, no one moved. Their weapons, summoned and all, were held still. What were they waiting for? Unless...

"Oh? What's this? Is there a power vacuum between you all?" She grinned, spinning herself to the middle of the room. The Gems and Steven surrounded her on all sides.

"You're all surrounding me like a pack of sharks! Yet you don't go for the kill. I know why, but this really is humiliating, I've never seen a shark pack scared to attack! Oh, this is too good... would you like me to explain, since your brains obviously can't cope with such a complex task?"

The Gems growled, but still they did not attack. Steven stood there, and if looks could kill, Galena would have been shattered by now.

Galena looked at each of the Gems in turn, Steven as well. When they didn't answer her question, she groaned.

"Boring! Boring, boring, boring... fine! I'll tell you anyways!" She lunged at Garnet, stopping right in front of her face. Garnet matched her gaze, forgetting her shades back upstairs in Steven's room.

"You, miss fusion of love, have lost your sense of leadership! You don't know what to do for once! You're missing three entire years, not of just Steven's life, but every life! You are out of rhythm with the rest of the universe. You've forgotten how to fit in. So you wait... for him." She said.

Then, suddenly, Galena pulled away and challenged Amethyst, looking down at her with narrowed eyes. "You... you have lost your aggressive nature. Scolded by the only person that matters for being violent. So you stop, and you follow orders. You do as you are told, even though no order was given. You're scared... so you wait for him."

Galena then pulled away and went for Pearl, challenging the pale Gem with the harshest glare. The she smiled sweetly. "You never separated from your purpose. You're waiting for his orders, just like a Pearl should. You tried so hard to make yourself your own Gem, but when it gets tough you fall back to your old ways. Pathetic."

Then Galena turned and jumped at Steven. "Don't forget little Stevie-boy! Scared of what he may show the Crystal Crybabies. You've grown, yes, but you've grown with some major defects. You're cruel and you know it. You don't want them to see that side of you. So you wait for everyone else instead... or is it the reason you're not attacking me?"

She bounced back to the middle, spinning around and looking at each of them briefly. She laughed. "Oh, I see. There's more to it than that, isn't there? It's me. You can feel something off about me, you don't like it. Not one bit. It's the little voice at the back of your mind, nagging, biting... She's hiding something. You're right, you know. I am hiding something. But you'll never find it, just like you'll never find the antidote for the Neural Worm. You'd have better luck beating up Peridot for it, and she doesn't even know it. Oops! Looks like Peridot might've slipped away." She exclaimed sweetly.

They kept their sharp stares fixated on the Gem. Galena began to giggle uncontrollably, and she started chanting.

"It lurks there in the dark, hidden away, she's hiding something, the warning bells ring, she's hiding something, it'll come very soon! She's hiding something, so wrong, so cold! She's hiding something, what could it be, she's hiding something, too dangerous to be seen! She's hiding something, tick tock tick tock! She's hiding something, something to be freed with the end of the clock!"

"Enough."

Galena stopped dead, smirking. she turned her head to the side, matching the fierce gaze a certain teenager was giving her. She giggled some more, bouncing over to him with an excited expression plastered on her face.

Tick, tock... Tick, tock...

"There it is! The dark Steven you so desperately wanted to hide from your Crystal Crybabies. This is the real you, why should you hide it? Oh, because society calls such a personality evil? Please, society is training wheels. I exist above such baby training, and so should you. DO WHAT YOU WANT!"

"I am doing what I want. I'm keeping myself within the rules of society so I don't end up a worm like YOU!" He roared.

"Call me what you want. At least I have the guts to DO SOMETHING when a dangerous threat is in my way. You don't understand, my mission is more important than you think. But your brain is so dull, so boring! You wouldn't even be able to think of the possibilities of my mission! All you see is a threat, which you don't even understand! You're just as dumb as your girlfriend!"

Tick, tock... Tick, tock...

Steven roared in fury, lunging and punching Galena right between her eyes. She hissed loudly, staggering back a couple of footsteps. Her hands flew up to her face, but she stood hunched over. Her breathing suddenly became more heavy.

"Oh boy... you have no idea what you've just done. You've accidentally forced my left eye open. I really didn't want this to happen, because what happens next... just might be the last thing you'll ever see."

Tick, tock... tick... tock. Your time is up.

Galena straightened up, and removed her hands from her face. Steven jumped back a bit at the sight of her left eye; It was jet black with a deep blue diamond-shaped pupil. Her pupil wasn't smooth, however. There were three little stumps stuck out from each side, looking like a bug's legs. In the middle of the pupil was a small inside slit.

Immediately after she revealed her eye into better light, her entire body began to shake violently. She staggered, falling on four limbs as her body began to glow a sickly gray-white. The Gems and Steven began to back up, Connie watching in terror from the top of the stairs. Galena's body began to change. Her arms and legs changed into long, thin but buff legs with large sharp claws at the foot, her body turned almost snake-like, her tail short but her neck abnormally long. Her short hair spiked up like a mohawk.

"Oh my god... she... corrupted?" Pearl asked quietly, voice quivering.

"CORRUPTED? HA! DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH." Galena roared, her voice deeper and raspy. "This is why I'm always keeping my eye shut! The virus in my Gem code loves to bring out my corrupted form. But it keeps my mind sharp, because as far as it's concerned, I'm already insane! While it may annoy me, it's a nice last weapon in a fight! It's really handy!"

The Gems growled. "You can't escape! We'll stop you!" Garnet shouted.

Galena scoffed. "Try and stop me then!"

Galena lunged for the front wall, barreling right through it. Never mind the door, she couldn't fit through it anymore anyways. The entire front wall of the house collapsed, the wood bouncing off Galena's rough skin. When she landed on the sand of the beach, she found Peridot standing nearby.

"What're you doing, you idiot?! Get out of here, they're going to catch you!"

"Galena?! What on Earth?" Peridot shouted, ignoring Galena's warning.

The Gems and Steven rushed out of the house, chasing the now corrupted Gem. Steven's eyes fell on Peridot and his face twisted into one of pure rage. He charged at her while Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl jumped to fight Galena.

Galena turned her long neck to look at the three Gems chasing her. She grinned. "Ha! Care to play a game of tag? Well, I'm IT!" She halted and swung a massive clawed foot at the advancing Gems.

They stopped dead and jumped backward to evade the attack. They recovered from the attack and began to advance once more.

*********************

Connie, still frozen inside the partially destroyed house, watched the battle before her. She was struggling to even move.

"LET ME GO YOU WORM! I need to help Steven and the Gems!"

'Like hell if I'd let you even try to injure Galena! Loyalty is what builds strength, strength builds confidence, confidence builds a Gem like her! There isn't another being alive as confident as her! You know what makes her so important? The fact that she's doing something when a threat like Yellow Diamond comes to clash directly with her!'

"What are you talking about?! I thought she was working for Yellow Diamond!"

'Idiot. You know nothing of Galena. She's known for fighting on her own side. Who ever said she would be so quick to break that record?'

Connie stopped fighting the worm and instead focused her gaze on Galena. What was the worm saying? What was Galena really doing here, if not following Yellow Diamond's true commands?

'MY NAME IS TREVOR, NOT WORM. And I'm afraid I've said too much... Such a shame I had to do this so early. Time to say goodbye.'

Connie yelped as an excruciating pain exploded through her entire body. She fell flat to the floor, and everything disappeared.

Steven stalked towards Peridot, who was backing away with the most terrified look on her face. He snarled with overwhelming fury.

"You knew about this, didn't you?! Galena told you of her plans, and you didn't tell me? I spared your life! THIS is how you repay me?"

"I...I just wanted to leave this place! Galena has her pod, but it's broken! I knew if I told you she wouldn't take me along when she left!" Peridot stammered.

"You're nothing but a worm! You have no right to call yourself your own person, all you do is hitch a ride off of other people's strength! Not anymore! This is where you end!"

Galena was toying with the Gems like they were her prey. All the while she was chanting.

"She's free, she's free! The warning bells are shattered! She's free, she's free! No more will she hide! She's free, she's free! Stevie-boy has crossed the line! She's free, she's free! Now this is the end of your time!"

"Would you be quiet?!" Pearl shouted angrily, trying to attack the insane Gem monster.

"I don't take orders from a Gem slave, thanks." Galena replied with a deadpan tone, swiping at the pale Gem.

"It's only a matter of time when we get you! Peridot is only the beginning!" Garnet shouted.

Galena perked, her eyes widening. She turned to look at Steven and Peridot. He had backed her into a corner, trapped under the house foundation and him. Then she made a run for it, and Steven gave chance. Galena knew exactly what he was doing to do with her if he caught her.

Like hell.

Galena roared loudly, swinging her short but long enough tail and knocked the Crystal Gems away from her. She charged at Peridot and Steven.

"Jump, you defenseless idiot!" She roared, talking to Peridot.

Peridot yelped, and did as she was told. Galena lowered her neck under Peridot's jump height and caught her. Steven skidded to a halt in the sand, managing to kick some into Galena's eyes. She hissed angrily, yet only closed her normal eye.

"Huh?" Steven asked, confused. Why would she do that?

"See ya later, Stevie-Boy." Galena growled lowly, swinging her front leg and knocking him aside.

"Galena, where are we going?!" Peridot asked, repositioning herself to face the same direction she was.

"Away from here, I'll tell you that! Don't you know it's bad to discuss your escape routes with the enemy still around?" She asked.

The two sped off through Beach City, Galena making sure not to step on anyone or totally destroy anything. Innocent lives were ones she preferred not to take. They were gone before The Gems could even discuss a chase.

Steven groaned in pain, rubbing his head. "Damn her... she couldn't have even been nice enough to keep me from flying into the water..."

"STEVEN!" The Gems cried, running over to help him.

"It's okay... I'm not dead." He clarified, taking Garnet's hand and hauling himself to his feet.

"I can't believe this. Out of anything we've fought, nothing has ever matched up to that psychopath!" Amethyst exclaimed.

"That insane little bitch is going to pay. She's hurt me, you guys, Connie, the entire human race! Wait... CONNIE!"

Steven and The Gems rushed up back to the damaged house, and found Connie collapsed on the floor.

"NO!" Steven shouted, flying towards her. He checked her vitals, and to his horror found no pulse. He stopped. "No... she can't... she can't be..."

The Gems grimaced. Steven began to shake. He stood up, and turned. Tears in his narrowed eyes, his opened his mouth and let out such a scream, it would be deafening to any normal human.

"GALENAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


	10. Travel To The Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flee and relax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay here's the last 3 already existing chapters, sorry I randomly stopped last night. Heh. I got distracted by other things.

'You've got control, girl. Don't worry. Just because Steven punched you and made you forget about asserting your authority over the virus to control it doesn't mean you'll lose it. Focus.'

The beast was focused. She was confident, controlled, precise. She ran as fast as her current body could go. Long, unnatural legs pounding upon the Earth as if wanting to beat it to death. The raspy panting filled the silent area as she ran.

'You keep going. Don't stop until you're completely in the clear. Almost there now, don't give up.'

Off in the distance she could see the metallic gleam of her shiny, grey space pod. Her ticket to returning to the humanoid form she should be seen as. She paid no attention to the green Gem riding on her neck, making small, annoyed noises as she unpleasantly bounced around every time she set her front legs down to run. The beast's small, spiky mohawk blew violently in the wind combined with the travel rate.

Finally, as if it seemed she had been running forever, the beast halted herself in front of the broken object. She lowered her neck to a respectable dismounting position, and waited until the green Gem was safely off of her. She then got down to business.

"Peridot, look. I need you to help me with something. This may sound... ridiculous. I need to you close my left eye for me." Galena said softly, as if shy.

"What? Why? Can't you close it yourself, or blink?" The Gem replied, her tone void of toleration.

Galena sighed. "No. There's things I haven't told you. While slipping into my corrupted form is the perfect last resort, it is risky as all hell. The only way to fight with complete control of it is to challenge the virus for control before opening my eye. Unfortunately for me and the Crystal Crybabies, Steven didn't allow me that split second. I didn't even get a warning. Normally I would be untouchable in this form, but if I had waited around any longer, they would've gotten us."

Peridot struggled to comprehend this new information. "Okay...?"

"By denying me the chance to control it, the virus has trapped me. All it ever aims to do is bring my corrupted form to reality. Therefore, every time I call upon it, it tries to gain mental control of my left eye. That's its only source of light. It needs light to realize it can work its magic. Even if it's the slightest bit of clear light. That's why I keep my eye shut. To keep it from seeing the light that activates it. Now, because I hadn't the time to control it, it's put my left eye under functional freeze. I cannot blink it, I can't even move my legs as hands to close it. Steven caught a glimpse of my lack of control, dumb boy. He kicked sand into my face, but all I could do was close my normal eye. The virus forced my left eye to stay open."

Peridot shifted nervously. "Is the virus going to try and stop me?"

Galena slowly nodded. "Don't worry. I'm a strong mental fighter. The virus and I have co-existed for six hundred years. I've learned a couple of its tricks in those years. I'm ninety percent sure I can stop it from making me hurt you."

"Ninety percent?" Peridot grumbled.

"Just... get on with it, would you? I forgot to mention that the virus gets cocky when it wins the first control battle. It's going to try and drive my mind corrupt-crazy." She hissed.

Peridot raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said the virus kept your mind sharp."

"I lied." Galena paused. "Wait, you heard that?"

Peridot rolled her eyes. "You were shouting like a lunatic. I'm sure the whole human population heard you."

She stepped carefully towards the unstable Gem monster, reaching towards her left eye. As soon as her hands were in a certain proximity, Galena's legs began to twitch.

"I hope you're using all your power to keep it from hurting me." Peridot mumbled.

"Don't distract me, dammit. You're practically asking for a beating."

Sighing, the green Gem took a hold of each eyelid and forcefully pushed them shut. Galena's body began to glow a cleansing white color, and she shrunk back to her humanoid form. She stopped glowing and stood on her two normal legs. Her face came back into view and her left eye was safely sealed shut.

"Thank you."

Peridot shrugged to say, 'no problem'. "Hey. Why on Earth would you save me back there?"

Galena looked at her in question. "Why wouldn't I?"

Peridot shifted. "I don't know, you just seem the cruel type by what I've heard about you. The way you fought in the Gem war. The hit and run technique, picking an unlucky Gem and stabbing them right in the Gem with your katana. You didn't care back then, why would you care now?"

Galena looked down, something flashing in her eyes that Peridot was almost taken aback to see. Was that... grief?

"I've done many things in my life, most of which I deeply regret now. Did I ever tell you why I hate this planet so? Because when I step on this pitiful rock I can feel them. They're still here, their life essence, sucked back into the ground. Their souls pulse underneath my feet, I can feel them. I can feel them now. They're laughing. I hear their tittering, mocking me about my condition. It's only a matter of time before who I am is erased, they chant. Over and over. The Gems I've forever damned, they wish to damn me to the same fate. They do not take my apologies."

Peridot didn't know how to respond. She tried to come up with something appropriate to reply with, but her mind produced nothing for her. It was too late, Galena was already back to her hard all personality.

"We'll stay away from Beach City until Yellow Diamond comes. She won't be long, we might as well hitch a ride with her instead of wasting our time on a small pod ship."

Peridot sat on the broken pod, wrapping her arms around her leg enchancers. "What's it like? Being corrupt?"

Galena huffed. "It's not true corruption unless both mind and body are one in the event. While most Gem monsters are too far gone, some still have the capacity to think about others. I'm sure Steven's come across one or two by now. This planet is full of corrupted monsters. I've also managed to dim down my corrupt form a couple times before. Make myself less intimidating by shrinking my size, practically changing myself into the equivalent of a large dog. I don't like prancing around in my humanoid form sometimes."

Peridot looked down. "Would be nice if Gems on the edge could end up like you, at least some control when they were leaving their sane life behind."

"Yellow Diamond would never allow such filth. The virus in my Gem code isn't so different from the Neural Worm they've manufactured from its DNA. If I didn't have a holographic brain, that's where the virus would be living right about now."

***************************

Steven lay down on his knees, hovering over Connie's body. What was he going to tell her parents? This was his fault. He was to blame.

Garnet was the only one to move. Pearl and Amethyst stood frozen to their spots, the need to comfort the boy exploding in their head, yet their fear of his earlier actions locking up their muscles. Garnet knelt down beside him, an arm on his shoulder. He lifted his head slightly and looked into her eyes, tears flooding his own. She frowned sadly and pulled him into a hug, which he immediately returned. While he buried himself in the comfort of the fusion, she threw a look at the two Gems standing around.

Get over here, he needs us.

They got the message and joined into the comforting hug, making a pile of Gems on the floor. The chilly night winds blew into the damaged house, but they took no notice. They only had eyes on their family. Unnoticed to them, the pitiful broken strings of family slowly began to repair themselves.

***************************

"You never said you would, but I'm curious. Do you mind telling the story of that Gem that survived your attack in the Gem War?" Peridot asked suddenly.

Galena looked up from her moping. "Oh. I'll tell the best I can, but it was so long ago. Some bits may be untrue."

***************************

"During the great Gem War for this planet, no where was safe. Each side controlled their on lands, but constantly fought to gain them from one another. Fires raged across the fields, shards of fallen Gems glinting under the harsh sun. The shadowy forms of corrupting Gems sat far away, watching the bloodbaths. They never wanted in with the fighting, they only wanted to survive. The last memory as a sane being was to do just that."

"It was another battle among the thousands that took place. I was watching the pitiful slow beings, fighting with such vigor. I was young, I lacked knowledge. I fought on my own side. Poisoned by my own overpowering abilities, I picked Gems out to die a death they would never understand. But there was one Gem that was different, she knew I was coming somehow. It was that day I had no choice but to show mercy."

Loud, ringing war cries raked the burning field of battle. Gems were brawling all around, but there was one who stood unoccupied for a moment. She had just defeated her most recent opponent. She stood staring at the poofed Gem before her. She wondered if she should show mercy.

But then she stood on alert; something was wrong. Eyes widening, she lunged from her current position.

Shing!

She rolled and immediately stood back up. A long, sharp katana now occupied the space near her head; right where her Gem was. She looked at the figure wielding the weapon. She was a medium sized Gem, long black hair that ran to the end of her back. Her outfit was a sickly looking blue-gray as the shirt, her pants were a simpler grey. Her boots were jet black to match her hair. She had ice blue eyes, pupils diamonds. A jagged tooth stuck out from her grin as she dismissed her weapon back into her Gem, which was located on her left shoulder.

"I'm very impressed! No Gem has ever escaped my kill before you. How did you know I was coming, through my super speed and sound-powered invisibility?" She spoke.

"Call it luck. I had a feeling something was wrong." The other Gem replied. "Who's side are you on? Your outfit does not mark you to a side."

The grey-skinned Gem snorted a laugh. "Crystal Gems, Homeworld Gems, the only two sides... not for me. I fight for myself. I take my own orders. I have no chains on me. I do as I please, which currently is killing Gems. It's unfortunate I didn't get to add you to my list a few moments ago. Would you like to join it now?"

The other Gem narrowed her eyes. "Is that a challenge? I've already dodged your attack. I don't think you'll do it."

She titled her head with curiosity. "And why's that?"

"Because you depend on a One-hit-KO. You know this won't happen now. You're scared to get your hands really dirty. You have no choice but to show mercy."

The Grey Gem stood there unmoving. She sighed. "You're right. I'm really no match for you, am I?"

She suddenly disappeared, but the indent of someone standing in the burning grass remained. The immediate area suddenly grew quieter than it should've sounded.

"I like you! Care to tell a deadly ghost your name?" The grey Gem's voice said, yet her body was nowhere to be seen.

"Starlite. I may ask the same of you, deadly ghost." She replied simply.

"Heh heh. The name's Galena! I know what you must be thinking, 'you're not a proper Gem!' Well, I suppose you're right. On this planet I'm a mineral, just like every other planet. What's a fake Gem doing in a battle? I might have run away from my assigned Gem, stowed away on a ship and came here. I hated being a super-soldier guard anyways. I have no more interest here, so I best be off. Bye bye, Starlite!"

The voice disappeared, followed by an unexplained breeze.

***************************

"I've never seen her since then. I wonder if she died in the war." Galena said dismissively, staring at the back of her hand.

"Do you ever miss being like that?" Peridot asked.

"What, with the crummy outfit and two working eyes? Nah. I quite like my look nowadays!" She replied, her tone light.

Peridot shook her head, sighing at her terrible attempt to weasel out of the real question. "That's not what I meant."

Galena's expression darkened, and she looked down.

"Like I said, not everything in that tale is true. I didn't bother to remember it full and true, because my dialogue was horrid. Or at least I think it was... whatever it was, it made me want to forget it. For that I worry what I could've said and done. I'm ashamed of most of my life. Nothing will change it. Yellow Diamond made Galenas, she made me. She's responsible for everything I am. And I hate her for it."

Peridot didn't understand. "Why?"

Galena hissed angrily, and she suddenly morphed into corrupted form again. "Because I'm a MONSTER!"

Peridot yelped, backing away from the grey Gem in terror. Galena broke their eye contact, and began to walk off. She needed to be somewhere by herself.


	11. Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone's down in the dumps now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is point where my inspiration died for way too long and the chapter length got cut in half. Sorry. I've been trying to work it back up again.

Steven shivered as the Gems pulled away from the comforting hug. He was deathly afraid of what he would have to do next. But first, he had to address the situation. He turned to his fellow Crystal Gems and released a shaky breath.

"As you know, Galena has released a deadly parasite into the world and we must stop it. I don't know what we can possibly do, or how fast it spreads. But we must do all we can before..." He swallowed thickly. "Before humanity dies. If I happen to be infected I'll be happy to die among them, knowing I tried. Even if I belong with neither race."

They simply nodded, willing to follow his orders. "Steven, are you sure you can lead without question?"

Steven nodded, determination set firm in his eyes. "Someone has to get you three back on track. Garnet, you're relieved of Crystal Gems leader until further notice. The Rose Quartz Gem is back in power. I'm not sure what we can do to track the neural worm, but I'll talk to Mrs. Maheswaran and see what I can do. Along with telling her that her daughter..." He stopped, then changed the subject. "Wait for when I return. Once I do, we're going to look for Galena and Peridot. I have a thought on where they may be. For now, try fixing the house. I have no other orders for you."

He turned, picking up Connie's body and strode toward the broken exit. He stopped just before the drop, turning his head slightly to look at his teammates. "Garnet."

"Yes, Steven?"

"Future Vision. Use it if you must."

Garnet gave a nod, and Steven left the broken house.

**********************

The air was sour, cloudy, dirty. It hung unmoving. Stale. It smelled of pain, death, and rebirth. Mostly pain. It was the primal growplace of her kind. It was the Kindergarten.

Why had she come here? Where in her monstrous mind had she chosen such a foul place?

Thump. Thump.

Something was wrong. Wrong with her. She used no words, but around her the world was screaming. The damned souls of shattered Gems were watching, waiting, laughing. She was not herself. Her mind was gone, someone had taken over. The virus.

To look in a mirror, Galena would find the tell-tale sign of the virus's control; both of her eyes were blackened, dark blue diamond pupils, the unmistakable beastly slit snuggled within.

Thump. Thump.

Clumsy footsteps, claws slicing through the dirt unceremoniously. The souls drank in her drunken steps hungrily, waiting for her to screw up. They had an idea. They laughed at their plan, and they whispered in her ear.

"T...o...th...e...pri...me...Ki...nde...r...gart...en...cont..rol...roo...m..."

The virus perked to the whispers. It obeyed.

*********************

Steven took a deep, steeling breath while he stood before the Maheswaran house. Lion sat a safe distance away. Steven brought a hand up to knock, then faltered at the last second. Dread churned in the pit of his , he had to do this. Her parents had a right to know. But he knew his ass would be kicked.

He sighed, and knocked on the door. Mrs. Maheswaran answered the door, and instantly her eyes fell upon her daughter held limp in Steven's arms. Her eyes widened and glistened with coming tears.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Maheswaran. But there's some things I should tell you."

*********************

"Garnet, how did you ever get him to forgive you so quickly?" Pearl asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Garnet grumbled, her hands placed still beside her forehead. "I was trying to see where we find Peridot, Pearl, so if you could ask this question later that would be nice."

Amethyst growled menacingly. "I will tear that little clod's Gem out of her head. Then I'll smack Galena so hard, she'll open her left eye and I'll crush her neck and tie it in a knot."

Pearl looked horrified at the purple Gem. "As much as they are our enemies, that's very violent!"

"Leave it to you to be the soft one, Pearl. Being soft fixes nothing. Steven was soft to Peridot, and look what it brought him! She only betrayed him! Maybe we should take this as a lesson."

The silence returned as they mulled it over.

*********************

Galena's ragged breathing poisoned the stale air as she shuffled down into the prime control room of the Kindergarten. She, or rather, the virus, was hell bent on ramming a glowing object at the end of the tunnel. It was a sort of greenish object, hooked up to the aging computer. With a mighty roar, the virus crashed into the thing with a bit too much force. Flying debris from the object stuck right into the left eye. There was a roar of pain, and a flash of cleansing white light, and Galena was back. Hissing and muttering a few choice words, she pulled the sharp debris right out from between the shut eyelids.

"Fucking hell... you damn virus, I'll teach you a few things!"

She stopped, looking down at the smashed object. She blinked her right eye a couple of times. She muttered more choice words.

"I've made a damn mess! What even was this machine?"

She sighed, cracking a couple of her finger knuckles. She turned and left.

"What a wretched place."

*********************

"So...she's..." Mrs. Maheswaran said through choked breath.

Steven nodded sadly. "But I know who did this and I swear to you Mrs. Maheswaran, I will rake their sin-crawling backs on the pits of hell, and just when they retreat to their pitiful Gems, I'll crush them under the tip of my shoe."

"It was Gems who did this? Then... about the virus..."

"We may not have a chance to stop it. Their technology is vastly more advanced than anything Earth will see for thousands of years. Connie was fighting it. We can mourn properly later, but we can't let her death go past in vain. We should get to the hospital, find the neural worm and start cure research. The only problem is the Homeworld Gems didn't think of me, I'm a hybrid. I'll give some blood samples, see if you can do anything with it."

Mrs. Maheswaran nodded shakily. She firmly took a calming breath and made way to her car. Steven offered to take her on Lion, since I'd be faster, but she refused.

"As much as you're on our side, Gemkind killed my daughter. I can't use anything that correlates to that."

"Very well. I'll meet you at the hospital."

Steven mounted Lion, and they disappeared into a portal.


	12. My Diamond!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to report back to your superiors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are. Caught up to the one on FF.Net. Hopefully I rite chapter 13 quickly, eh?

Steven sat on a hospital chair as Dr. Maheswaran drew blood from his arm. As far as they knew, his blood was the only vantage point they had against the virus. They'd already inspected Connie's body and found the Neural Worm sitting on top of her brain, fat and strong. A call was already out for everywhere- look for this parasite.

"This doesn't seem right. The neural worm is Gem technology, it shouldn't be detectable by our own. They're way too advanced, they'd upgrade it to pass our scans. It's almost like it wants to be found..." Steven trailed off. "Scare tactic. Galena wants us to be scared. Unless someone else nearby is watching and they want quality entertainment."

Dr. Maheswaran faltered. "Steven, you must promise me you won't let my daughter's death be in vain."

Steven growled. "I won't. Galena is dangerous, smart, and in reality can easily overpower me in a second, but she's cocky. Her attitude radiates confidence, arrogant pride. She thinks she's untouchable. That's her weak point, I'll use it. She even told me her capabilities, like a fool. She has super speed like Sapphire, and some sort of artificial invisibility. I haven't seen her do that, but I can make an inference about it."

Dr. Maheswaran sighed, pulling the needle out of Steven's arm. She wrapped it in bandage and took the blood bag away, into a cabinet to be used later. "She doesn't sound beatable to me."

"Powers of ability can't overpower power of the mind. Garnet can use her future vision to find where she'll strike if she uses her abilities. It's the best chance we have, but it's a chance."

Dr. Maheswaran nodded. "Kick her ass for me."

Steven nodded back. "Yes ma'am."

**************************

By the time Steven had left the hospital, the doctors had already found the virus within Connie's body. All it took was a simple x-ray, which raised red flags for him. If the virus was so advanced, why had it been detectable by something as primitive as an x-ray? He didn't like the sound of it. Something was definitely going on there.

They'd decided not to give Connie's body up for any science. Her body was to remain exactly the same way it was when she died. They'd called national medical groups and told them of the virus, and they all immediately got to work raising awareness. They didn't know how fast it could spread or how it spread at all, but they knew it was deadly and could kill a human in only a couple of hours. Humanity's worst nightmare.

Steven dismounted Lion as they returned to normal space from the warp space. Lion sat obediently outside the house as Steven entered, finding all three Gems still there. They'd have to fix the entire wall later.

"What could be done has been done. Our next move should be finding Galena and Peridot."

***************************

Galena returned to her pod, finding Peridot still there. Good. The tech nerd had listened to her. She started rummaging through her pod and pulled out a diamond-like device. Peridot gasped when she realized what it was.

"A direct line to the diamonds?! Why do you have possession of one of those?!" She asked, astonished.

Galena grinned. "Didn't I tell you? Yellow Diamond herself sent me out on this job. How else am I to update her on my mission?"

Galena twisted the device to the yellow quarter, and the device flew up in the air to call Yellow Diamond. Yellow Pearl appeared on the screen.

"This is the direct diamond line, who gave you authorization to use this line?" Yellow Pearl asked, her standard routine.

"Greetings Yellow Pearl, remember me? Galena? I have news on the mission Yellow Diamond sent me on to Earth. The neural worm." Galena responded, all trances of rudeness gone. Who knew she had manners?

"Ah yes, the rogue one. You're lucky you don't have to use your code, I doubt you remember it anymore." Yellow Pearl grumbled, walking off the screen to fetch her diamond.

Galena turned to Peridot. "Hey, come on over here. You deserve some credit in helping me, You could've ratted me out to Steven any time, but you didn't."

Peridot shyly moved closer to Galena, getting in range for the screen to show her. Yellow Diamond then came into view, looking as intimidating as ever. However, when her eyes fell upon Galena, her expression changed to somewhat excited.

"Ah, Rogue. I was wondering when you were going to call. This better be to report good news." Her eyes fell on Peridot. "Oh, a peridot? Which peridot did you bring with you?"

Galena cleared her throat. "I did not bring a peridot with me, my diamond. She was already here when I came. She has been stuck here for awhile, it seems. Lost on a mission tampered with by the Crystal Gems."

"Facet 2F5L, Cut 5XG my diamond! The ship you assigned me was destroyed by the remaining members of the Crystal Gems, and Jasper was... betrayed by the Lapis Lazuli we took with us. They fused together and are now trapped underneath the vast ocean somewhere... I apologize, my diamond." Peridot stuttered.

Yellow Diamond was silent for a moment. "I see. The Crystal Gems are still alive, then? How disgusting. You and the Rogue will have to take tare of them before I come to that miserable planet to gaze upon my victory. Which reminds me, why hasn't my cluster emerged yet?"

Peridot squeaked. "I... I do not know, my diamond. Any attempt to visit the Kindergarten will trigger an alarm that notifies the Crystal Gems of my presence. Four against one would never end in my favor." She lied.

Yellow Diamond nodded. "Alright. I suppose it can wait a little while longer, until Rogue's virus kills everything. The Crystal Gems will be the last ones my victory will claim."

Galena nodded. "Anyways, the neural worm has been introduced to the targets and is already spreading at maximum efficiency. I told the worms to be detectable to their feeble technology just for entertainment. I will take special amusement in their desperate attempts to find a cure when none exists. They won't survive a month. They have about two weeks, maximum."

Peridot's jaw dropped. '7 billion humans wiped out in just 2 weeks?! I'm not sure Galena's objectives are something I'd wish to follow anymore...' She thought with a shiver.

Yellow Diamond gave the pair a smile full of malice. "Good. You are doing well, Rogue. Avoid failure and you will be allowed your freedom once again."

Galena and Peridot gave Yellow Diamond the respectful signal, and the call dropped. Galena caught the direct line device and shot a glance at Peridot.

"Lying to Yellow Diamond, are we? How rogue of you. You'd make a great addition to my Rogueworld Gems, you know." She said with a grin.

Peridot yelped, shaking her head. "No way! If I ever get off this planet I'm resuming my place on Homeworld like I'm supposed to! And you know what Yellow Diamond would do if I told her I was the one stalling the emergence of her precious super-weapon! I would be shattered when she comes here!" She stopped dead. "Oh my stars! Yellow Diamond is coming here! Oh my stars, does that mean I'm going to have to travel back to Homeworld on her ship?!"

Galena burst out laughing. "See, this is why I left Homeworld in the first place. Everyone's so worried about standards and reputation! I don't give a flying fuck! Why should you care about how everyone else sees you, good or bad? Fear and respect have the same effect, I am both. I am respected by my teammates, and feared by my enemies. Except Yellow Diamond. The nerve she has, calling me 'Rogue' instead of by my name. She doesn't recognize anyone without their codes, too bad you still remember yours. My team and I have abolished such hideous codes. Your invitation to my team still stands, if you decide not to go back to Homeworld."

She lowered her voice to where Peridot couldn't hear her. "Especially because Yellow Diamond won't be going back to Homeworld..."


End file.
